May

Types of Lasers for Permanent Hair Removal:

Generally speaking, there are four types of commonly used lasers for permanent hair removal.

Diode Lasers (810 nanometers)

Alexandrite (755 nanometers)

Yag, Nd:Yg (1064 nanometers)

IPL, Intense Pulsed Light (400-800 nanometers)

Which is the best TYPE laser for me?

Having performed tens of thousands of laser hair removal treatments since 2004, we’ve had the opportunity to use a fair number of laser hair removal devices. The answer to the above question may not be as simple as it seems. Generally for lighter skin types, the best TYPE of lasers are the Diode and Alexandrite. For darker skin types (specifically African), the most appropriate laser is the Yag. But in Los Angeles, we have a wide variety of skin types and mixes and sometimes an African American mix may be more appropriate for a Diode than a Yag. The last device (IPL) is not a laser and is instead a device that uses a mix of wavelengths of light. Because of this, IPL is less effective at ensuring permanent hair removal. In addition, it has a higher incidence of side effects than lasers do. For this reason, we do not recommend IPL for laser hair removal.

Which is the best BRAND for laser hair removal?

There are many, many different brands of laser hair removal devices. What consumers should focus on is not so much the brand (Lumenis, Palomar, Candela) but rather the wavelength of light (Diode, Alexandrite or Yag) and whether the laser is appropriate for their skin type. Also important is the experience of the laser practitioner. Regardless of which laser hair removal technology is used, if it is not used well, you may not achieve a high % of permanent hair removal. Your best bet is to ask a friend who was successful with their laser hair removal program where they went or check online reviews.